Internal-combustion engine



Jan. 16, 1923. AL'Z'MB A. W. AITKEN.

INTERNAL CoMBusTioN ENGINE. FILED JUNE 28 1922.

ANDREW W. ATKEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application led .Tune 28, 1922. Serial No. 571,414.

To aZZwtom/t mayconcem: ing a crank case l, opposed cylinders 2, 2,

e it known that I, ANDREW lV. Airman, and cylinder heads 3, 3. a citizen of the United States, residing at rihe crank case l may be of any suitable Springeld, in the county of Cla-rk and kind, and shape, but is preferably rectangu- State of Ohio, have invented certain new lar, and is provided with suitable bearings 50 and useful Improvements in nternal-C'omla for the crank shaft lb. In one side of the bustion Engines; and I hereby declare that crank case, and preferably below the bearthe following is a full, clear, and exact deings of the crank shaft, is a fuel gas intake scription thereof, reference being had to the duct 1d preferably formed in the casting l accompanying drawings, which form part of the crank case by placing suitable cores 65 of this specication. in the mold. This duct ld extends horizon- This invention relates to internal combustally in or along the outer wall of the case tion engines, and its object is to provide for the entire length thereof and communisuch an engine with acontinuous fuel cates at its opposite ends with fuel ducts 2b l5 intake passage produced by forming comv4 in the opposite cylinders 2, 2, when the lat- 70 municating ducts in the walls of the base or ter are properly attached to the crank case. crank case, the cylinders, and the cylinder On the outer wall of crank case l, adjaheads thereof, such passage conducting the cent the duct ld is a iattened boss le in fuel gases direct from the carburetor to which is an opening 1 communicating with the intake valves, and being heated by conthe duct ld. To this boss le is bolted one 75 duction of heat through the walls of the end of a short l.-pipe casting 1f, the other cylinders, whereby the fuel gases are kept end of which is directly connected to the hot, and condensation of the fuel gases in outlet of a carburetor C which may be of any the passage is prevented. A further object suitable construction. Y of the invention is to do away with the ordi- In the construction shown, the cylinders 8O nary manifolds and yet properly heat the 2, 2, are attached to opposite ends of the el gases and prevent condensation thereof crank case l. The axes of said cylinders in the fuel intake passage. are parallel, but they are slightly displaced This invention is particularly adapted for laterally to bring the cylinders into direct use with a four-cycle two-cylinder opposed alignment with the respective related cranks 85 type gasoline engine, without crank case on the shaft 1b, as shown in Fig. l. compression; but may readily be'adapted for Owing to this lateral relative displaceuse with other types of gasoline engines, if ment of the cylinders one end of the duct ld desired. is deflected inwardly, as shown at 1P in Fig I will explain the invention with reference l, and, for the purpose of lightness, the wall 90 to the accompanying drawings, which illusof this part of the duct may be tubular and trate one practical embodiment of the inmay be spaced from the adjacent interior vention, to enable others to adapt and use corner of the casing l as shown at lx in the same; and summarize in the claims the Fig. l. 40 novel features of construction and novel Each cylinder 2 may be provided with a 95 combinations of parts for which protection water jacket 2a to prevent undue heating of is desired. its walls, and in or on one side wall of each ln said drawings: cylinder 2, is a fuel duct 2b which is pref- Fig. l is a diagrammatical longitudinal erably formed in casting the cylinder by section through the crank case, cylinders, using a suitable core. The duct 2b extends i009 and cylinder heads of an internal combusparallel to the axis ofthe. cylinder, and outtion engine showing the novel construction side the water liacket 2a, and is adapted to and arrangement of the fuel intake passage register at one end with therelated end of therein, and the direct connection of the the duct ld in the crank easel, when the cylcarburetor with said passage. -lnder is attached thereto. The walls of the 105 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of 'an engine havduct 2b in each cylinder will be heated by ing such novel fuel passage. the combustion of the gases in the cylin- In the drawings, the invention is illusder, and consequently the fuel gases passing trated in connection with a four-cycle twothrough such duct during the working of cylinder opposed type gasoline engine, havthe engine will be heated thereby, thus 1nllo creasing the effectivenessof the fuel gases and also preventing condensation of such gases in said ducts.

To the outer end of each cylinder 2 is bolted a cylinder-head 3 which is formed with intake and exhaust ports respectively provided with valves 3 and 3b. which may be operated at the proper times by any suitable means, such means not forming part of the present invention.

The inlet duct 3d, in the cylinder head 3, is preferably formed in casting the head by using suitable cores. rthe outer' end of the inlet duct 3d is adapted to register with the outer end of the related duct 2" in the cylinder to which the head is bolted. The inner end of duct 3d connects with the inlet port.

A continuous fuel passage is thus formed by the communicating ducts 1d, 2b, 3d in the walls of the crank case, cylinders, and cylinder heads, leading directly from the carburetor to the :inlet valves of the cylinders; and the :arburetor directly discharges through opening 1 o into the said fuel passage. By this construction all outside manifolds are eliminated, and the fuel in the intake passage is sufficiently heated to prevent condensation thereof in the fuel ducts. In this 'construction the fuel gas intake passage has no communication with the crank case but forms a continuous passage through the walls of the case, cylinders, and cylinder heads, to the point where it is admitted into the cylinders, such passage opening into the cylinders through the cylinder heads, and the crank case, cylinders, and cylinder heads are required to carry and complete the intake passage.

Operation.

Vhen an inlet valve 3 is opened fuel will be drawn by the suction of the piston directly from the carburetor C through casting l and opening` 1 into and through the fuel gas passage (formed by duct-s 1d, EZ, 3d) into the cylinder, the fuel gases being warmed and increasingly heated as they pass from the carburetor to the inlet valve. Any fuel gas trapped in the passage when the inlet valve is closed will be heated by contact with the hot walls of said ducts. When the exhaust valve 3l is opened, the burnt gases are forced out of the cylinder through the exhaust ports 3h at which time the inlet valve is closed.

rlhe cycle of operations is as follows: On the instroke of either piston, its inlet valve 3' in the duct 3d in the cylinder head is opened, and fuel gas is drawn directly from the carburetor C, through the opening 1 into the chiot 1d and thence through ducts 2b and 8, into said cylinder. On the out stroke of such piston the inlet valve 3a sclosed and the charge compressed Within the cylinder, and when the piston. reaches the proper point the charge is fired; the resul*- ing in stroke of the piston being its working` stroke. @n the next out stroke of the piston the exhaust valve 3" is opened, and the burnt gases are expelled, thus completing the cycle of operations for that cylin der. The opposite cylinder goes through the saine cycle, but the working stroke of itsl `piston is arranged to occur during the iutake stroke of the piston in the opposite cylinder, thus balancing the power impulses,

lWhat l claim is:

l. ln an engine of the character described a crank case provided with a duct in and extending the length of one side wall thereof but not communicating therewith; and hay ing an opening in its side adapted to be connected witlra carburetor; a cylinder attached to the said crank case and having a ductin its wall extending the length of the cylinder but not communicating therewith, and connected at its inner end with the adjacent end of the duct in the crank case; and a cylinder-head secured to the outer end of the cylinder and having an inlet port, and a duct connecting with the said port and the outer end of the duct in the cylinder wall; the ducts in theV crank case wall, cylinder, and cylinder-head, together forniing a continuous passage whereby fuel gases from the carburetor are conducted directly to the inletport in the cylinder head, substantially as described.

2. In an engine of the character described; a crank case provided with a duct inr and extending along one side wall thereof but not communicating therewith, and having an opening adapted to be connected with a fuel supply; cylinders secured to opposite ends of said crank case; each cylinder having a duct in its side wall extending the entire length of the cylinder but not communicating therewith and connected at its inner end with the edjacent end of the duct in the crank case; a cylinder head secured to the outer end of each cylinder; each cylinder head being provided with an inlet port and a duct connecting said port with the outer end of the duct in the wall of the adjacent cylinder; said ducts in the crank case wall, cylinders, and cylinder heads together forining continuous fuel passages whereby the fuel gases from the supply are conducted direct to the inlet ports in the cylinder heads, substantiallyA as described. Y

3. An engine of the character described, having a crank case, cylinders attached to opposite ends of said. case;- and cylinderheads attached to the outer ends of the cylinders; said crank case having a duct formed in and extending along one side wall thereof buty not communicating therewith and having an opening in its side adapted to be connected with a carburetor; each cylinder having a duct formed in its side wall extending the entire length of the nyl'nf'lei' but not communicating' therewith, and eonnenting' at its inner end with the adjacent end of the 'duct in the crank Case; and each cylinder-head having an inlet port and a duct leading to the inlet pont and having its outer end connecting with the outei` end of the duct in the adjacent cylinder; the said several ducts together forming a. continuons 'fuel gas; livassage extensling Walls of the Crank ease, rfyinfiere and hen dS, whereby fnei gases are conducted direct from the carburetor to the inlet ports in the Cylinder heade7 substantially as described:

In testlnong7 that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

ANDREW W'. AITKEN.

through the J9 

